Romeo and Juliet Tamora Pierce Style
by farleydunlop'04
Summary: O.k.- lemme know what you think... p.s.- in case ya couldn't tell, I like rats. This is about Andrew and Rhia, a shifter and her enemy who slowly fall in love (with a twist or five)
1. It Came From The Sky

Romeo and Juliet Tamora Pierce Style

Rhiamont Wonk, or Rhia to her friends, yawned sleepily, stretching. Tatan Lee Wonk, her primary caretaker, and maker of Tortall's finest sushi, was stirring in the kitchen, perhaps preparing his culinary masterpiece of sushi.

Since any cooking Rhia did literally set the kitchen on fire, there was no option of her helping. 

With a yawn, she went over to the kitchen and yelled to Tatan, "I'm going for firewood! Be back soon!"

Tatan yelled in return, "Okay, but take Jim or Thonkulus!"

With a roll of her eyes, she went over by the fireplace where Jim was sleeping. The giant wolfhound took advantage of every square inch of warm floor, sprawled out like a giant pancake. She shook Jim, and failing to rouse him or even move him (Jim weighed 150 pounds, a lot more than her 110 pounds, so moving him was not easy), she turned to Thonkulus.

Imagine a brown rat, an agouti color with black eyes. Imagine that same rat the size of a large cat. Thonkulus was a Martinique's Rice Rat, a species now extinct that is on average as big as a cat. Thonkulus was a huge rat, and great protection in the woods. A loyal rat, he was a fierce fighter when he needed to be. Like most rats, he was physically adept, and Thonkulus, or Thonkie to his friends, was so big that he could kill Rhia without even sweating, but chose not to, being a chivalrous loyal rat.

"Wake up Thonkie! Now! We're going to the woods!" Turning a tired eye coldly to her, Thonkie rolled his eyes but got up anyway. Patting his soft fur, she smiled. "Alright, c'mon Thonkie!" Strapping a thick yew vine to his collar (although Thonkie could chew through solid metal if he desired, he detested the taste of the vine so he would not escape) she headed out, giant rat in tow.

Walking through the forest, she heard a scary noise, like none other she had ever heard, of an evil cackle and thrashing wings. Scared, she turned to Thonkie, her source of comfort. Thonkie clicked comfortingly, and peeped and chirred, filling her heart with strength, as it always did. The noise grew louder, and a horrible stench that reeked of death itself filled the air ominously. Thonkie shuddered; his sense of smell was better than Rhia's by far, but still he comforted the terrified Rhia. Peeping, he snuggled into her arm, creating heat in the world that seemed frozen by her fear. Slowly, he washed her face with a rough tongue.

_It's alright, _he seemed to say. Then suddenly, something that the stench had been emanating from swooped down, claws grasping for her. With one last lick and a growl, Thonkulus stood his ground, jumping in front of her, saving her from being picked up by the claws. Biting furiously, Thonkie gave the monster a first-hand account of the fact that a rat had a bite force of 24,000 pounds per square inch. Then, as they flew higher, flying over an outcropping of rocks, with a smile the monster dropped Thonkulus off of him, and he fell on the rocks, and although his strong rat body did not shatter, he was dead for certain, blood on his body like dye. All question of her safety gone, she ran to Thonkulus, her guardian, her protector, and her loyal friend. Eyes streaming tears, she buried Thonkulus, and searched for driftwood. With her penknife, she carved a memorial to her beloved friend. Fist clenched, she promised, looking up in the sky, "Whoever killed Thonkulus _will die._" 


	2. Silver Fangs

Ok- Thank you to Fire Daughter and Pinky, my 1st reviewers!!!!!!!!!!!!! *hops up and down with excitement*

"Whoever killed Thonkulus _will die!_"

Suddenly, from up in the sky, a voice was heard.  "Gee, you seem a bit violent.  What happened to make you so emotionally distraught?"

Rolling her eyes at the sarcasm, Rhia also nervously scanned the sky to find the source of the voice.

"Well, what happened?"

Gulping, she decided to lie.  "My uncle died."

Not sounding very sorry, "Oh, I'm sorry."

"Actually, he didn't."

"So, is there a reason behind your depression on such a nice day, or is it just clinical?"

Since all people with clinical depression were killed so as not to spread it to others, clinical depression was a worldwide joke.  She smiled weakly.

"My rat died."

"Your what? Coulda sworn you said _rat._"

"I did."

"What is so great about a rat? They're vicious, I tell ya, vicious little blighters, nasty beasts!  I tell ya, they could _kill _you!  Why befriend something vicious?  Ah, tricky little demons.  They'll turn on you, I tell ya, them rats! Nast-"

"Show yourself!"

"Why?"

"You'll see why, and you'll sure as hell feel it too!  That rat was no demon, and he made a saint look like Satan!"

Suddenly, she heard a rustling in a tree nearby.  She saw the naked torso of a boy about her age, with arms grasping the trees' oily bark.  Although living in the country meant that she could not get out that much, she knew one adjective to describe that boy- hot!  How could she punch his flawless hair, his handsome muscled flesh?

"What's your name," the boy asked.

"Rhiamont."

"Isn't that some type of tree?"

"No, smart one, it is my name.  My friends call me Rhia, though."

"Rhia, that's a nice name.  So, Rhia, how did your rat die?"

Suddenly, he sounded more mature, more manly, but her deep bond with Thonkulus cut through simple attraction that was human instinct.  

"So, wait a second!  You denounce my rat, call him a traitor, then act like my _friend? _ What kind of idiot do you think you are?  Are you crazy?"

Genuinely, the boy apologized.  "Sorry, I didn't mean to hurt your feelings, really!  It's just that I never knew a nice rat!  So, how did he die?  I just want to know if I can heal him somehow.  I have a different sort of magic, and I might be able to fix him somehow."

She brightened up.  "Really?  You see, some monster swooped from the sky, having no quarrel with me, attempting to carry me up, and then my brave rat, valiant when death bares its' talons, went in my place, and greatly injured the fiend.  But, cowardly, the fiend could not handle the rat, and dropped him."

The boy winced.  "God, you have the Shedwrath all right."

"What's that?"

"It means the want, the need, to shed blood."

"Duh!  I will kill the monster, the fiend, the fiery demon, even if I have to chase it to its homeland, no matter where it be!  Even the Pit of Hell itself!"

Suddenly, she sniffed the air.  Rhia had been blessed, and cursed in some cases, with a keen sense of smell. Fear, source query=Hotboy ( in those things are the basic messages and emotions that she smelt and from where they came)

Rhia wondered why the boy felt fear when she ranted about killing the fiend.  Could he have done it?  Could he have killed Thonkulus?

Nah.  Why would such a cute guy murder her friend?

Monsterstench, source query=Hotboy

Rhia was surprised.  It seemed strange that the smell of Thonkulus's murderer came from the boy.

She fought a raging internal battle- her hormones versus her bond with her rat.

"Murderer!"

"What?"

"_Murderer!" _She begun to sob.  

"What are you talking about?"

"You killed him! My nose doesn't lie!"

Eyes down, he stared guiltily.  "I did."

Rhia was suddenly confused.  "Wait, how could you kill him if you don't have wings? You're a human!"

The boy smiled, showing silver pointed teeth.

Rhia realized that maybe the boy wasn't a boy.


	3. Fallen Teardrops

Thanx to my reviewers, Pinky, Fire Daughter, and Dead Life.  *sobs* you guys are great!

Slowly, the boy's arms grew wider, and turned a silvery color, and resembled steel.  Feather patterns appeared from nowhere on his metallic flesh, and then the patterns became three-dimensional.  His legs that were previously not in her sight moved and she saw them.  Slowly mutating and becoming metal as will, they became shorter, and his bare feet longer, and so were his toes.  Nails stretching and forming into metal, they stretched into grotesque claws, sharp deadly curved talons.  

            Now, before her stood a Stormwing in a loincloth.   She screamed internally.  How could she talk, associate with, even smile at a joke he made (clinical depression) when he gorged himself on human flesh?  How could she talk with the murderer of her friend and guardian, and forgive him for denouncing Thonkulus?  How?  How?  _How?_

            Legs swiftly pounding into the forest floor, she ran, with only fallen teardrops as a sign that she, Rhiamont Wonk, had ever passed.  

Yes, I know it's short, but I'm putting up another one today.  


	4. Agouti Envy

Yes, another short chapter! Get over it!

            Andrew Steelfangs sighed, and flew over to a rock.  Head down, he wished that things were different.  He wished he could go back in time for many reasons.  He had not meant to kill the rat; he was just a bit jealous.  Yes! Jealous of a rat!  Andrew wished that he could have gotten to know the girl better.  All he learned was that she was nice, kind, had a good heart, had a good sense of humor, was beautiful, did not think that any guy could ever like her, and now hated his guts.  Only when he had a human disguise hologram up did she pay any attention to him.  He wished that he could find something to convince her to date him.  He wished… Wait!  He did know something to blackmail her with!  Man, this was gonna be good! 


	5. Sobbing Stone

A note to ( )- there is a Stormwing, and you'll see!

Thanks to all my wonderful reviewers- Fire Daughter, Pinky, Dead Life, and ( ).

Storming home, Rhia was in a rage.  "Stupid Stormwing!  I hate you!"

Arriving at her home, she went to talk to Jim.  Like many she talked to her animals.  "Hey Jim?" Jim was a very smart dog, although lazy. He gave a body language dog equivalent of, _yeah? _

"Thonkulus died."

b.l.d.e. - _Thonkulus died?_

"Yeah, I know you're sad."

b.l.d.e. – _Duh.  Good friend he was._

"Yeah, I know."

"Talking to the dog again?" Asked Tatan Lee Wonk, who smelled like sushi.

"Tatan! Oh Tatan, Thonkulus died!"

Tatan started to sob, and he was not called 'Man of Stone' for nothing.

"Who killed him?"

Remembering the Stormwing, she smiled.  She hated the Stormwing, but she did not tell on him, not because she loved him, she assured herself, but just because that she wanted to kill him herself.  

"A falling branch."

Tatan sighed.  "Poor Thonkie.  I loved him.  He was like a brother to me!  He saved my life once, my old wife Mary's life twice, and yours countless times.  He was the best rat to ever live.  Do you have his body?  We must bury him, and may he cross the Rainbow Bridge in peace, be favorable in the eyes of the Black God, and live in the Bridge field until we come to get him." 

She smiled weakly.  "I'll go get it."

Taking Jim with her, she went to where the body was.  She was about to reach for it, but saw the Stormwing put a claw on it.  She was bloated with fury. 

"Nope, your not takin' this body anywhere, not until you listen to what I have to say.


	6. Courageous Storm

The cruel Stormwing, the murderer of her friend, was touching his bloodstained claws on Thonkie?  Feh, this is the last indignity, the thought raced through Rhia's head like lightning.   

She turned to face the Stormwing, with eyes black as night and red as blood, she eyed the monster furiously until he shuddered and visually recoiled at her infamous glare.  He bowed his head. Ha, thought Rhia, you aren't even a brave monster, but a cowardly one as well!

  Stormwing, she thought angrily, a storm on wings, so that's what you are?  No.  Whoever said you are like a storm is whack.  A storm is all grace and beauty and courage, the taunting of the winds, and although it kills, and seems ferocious, it is not.  It gives life-giving rains, sprouting flowers and crops in which we live.  Basically, they are all bark, no bite.  But, he, the Stormwing, on the other hand, is different.  He has no grace or beauty.  The worm who doesn't dare to face the sun is Alanna in comparison to him.  If he were a real storm, he wouldn't have just thrown off Thonkie; he would have fought on, though his body would surely be battered, as a storm sticks around even when the sun tries to blot it out. 

She eyed the Stormwing again.  She didn't even have to glare; he cringed at the sight of her eyes resting on him.

She tried to grab the body, but the Stormwing was too quick.  I'm not even going to call it a Stormwing anymore; Rhia thought furiously, I'll call it a Joren.  (To call someone a Joren in Tortall is the equivalent of 'bitch' in our society)

The Stormwing, voice caked with sorrow (as it should be, Rhia thought gleefully) looked up imploringly into her porcelain eyes, her figure an unforgiving stone.  "Please, Rhia, just listen to what I want to say.  Do as you want with me afterwards, just listen to my bargain."

She sighed and rolled her eyes; it was impossible to resist those eyes, like when Jim was a puppy.

"Ok, if you go out with me, I'll tell you a secret; something only I know about you.  You don't even know it yourself, and it is as true as my wings are steel."  She stared at his steel wings, so beautiful, yet so devoid of mercy.  She thought about going out with him.  She'd rather go out with Jim, and Jim was coarse, hairy, disgusting, had bad eating habits, and drowned you in a tsunami of his slobber anytime you entered a five-foot radius of him!

She cried, "No!  I'd rather die!  But, I'm not the one who will be doing the dieing here!" She grinned evilly.  With a smile, she pulled out her pride and joy- Wintercrest.  Wintercrest was the name for her crossbow, which she had been able to fire a bull's-eye from at age 6.  Putting in a bolt, she cranked up the crossbow, and aimed for his throat.

"Alright, you Joren, you disgrace to Stormwings, I'm giving you until the count of five to lay off the body or you will find that immortals can die.   One." The Stormwing looked nervous.  "Two." The Stormwing seemed very anxious. "Three." The Stormwing looked scared and in a state of terror.  "Four."  The Stormwing looked petrified.  "And, Five."

She squinted aiming, and in a state of shock, the Stormwing was paralyzed. She was about to release, when she heard it.

"You're a shifter!"  She dropped the crossbow, staring, her mouth in an open 'o' of surprise and complete shock.  Taking advantage of the moment, he, Andrew ran to the crossbow.  He could barely lift it.  After carrying it for two steps, he started panting.  "God, how do you fire that thing?"  He carried it and put it inside a rotten log thirty feet away, and he lay on the forest floor, tired from his labor.  But, he wasn't the only one lying on the forest floor.  Rhia lay unconscious, fainted from shock.  __


	7. Tri Song

Rhia woke up with a concerned Stormwing peering over her.  Groping for the bow that was right next to her before, she felt nothing.  Cold hard determination and a twinge of sorrow were in the Stormwings' eyes, emotions reflected in his glassy orbs like a mirror.  She racked her vocal cords, urging them to speak.  "Wh-what just happened?" 

"You fainted from shock." He hoped being in a fragile state, Rhia would be polite and lady fair.

"Where's my bow, you reeking Joren?"

Sigh.  Maybe not.

"Uh," he decided to act like an uncaring Stormwing, superior to the mortal.

"I'm not telling you where until you promise to go out with me."

"Well, I'm never going out with you until you explain why the hell you called me a shifter."

"Oh, all right, but do you promise?"

"Also, teach me to control my power if I actually have any, and once I've got the hang of it, I'll date you."  Forming a desperate but devious plan, she smiled.

"Do you promise?"

"Yeah, I guess."  Her fingers anxiously intertwining, worried about what she promised, but hopeful her plan would work if what the Stormwing, or Joren, she thought maliciously, said was true.

"So, how am I a shifter?

"Well, you are the daughter of Veriladiane Sarrasari."

"What?!"

"You heard what I said!  As you learned from that sushi man you live with,"

"Tatan!" Rhia protested angrily.

"Ok, Tatan. I bet you learned Tortallan Recent History, and the Song of the Three?"

Rhia nodded, remembering the lyric song by a great bard about the adventures about the three greatest knights of all history, Alanna of Pirates' Swoop and Olau, Kel of Emelan (or wherever she was from), and Veriladiane Sarrasari of Galla. 

"So, remember how Diane's kid got lost when she got killed?"

"Yeah"

"You are that child."

"And how do you know that?"  
 "I was told by my second uncle twice removed, Saneis Moonsword- the brother of Rikash."

"Oh."

"So, now will you go out with me?"

"No, teach me to use my power."

"Well it's not that easy, you know!"

"Well, you've never tried to teach me so I don't!"

Well, the girl was convincing enough…

"Alright, Rhia, you win."

"Let's get this straight, Joren," she spat again.  "Only my friends call me Rhia!  Seeing as you are not my friend, refer to me as Rhiamont!"

The Stormwing smiled, easy and carefree.  "I'll see you at this time tomorrow.  Ok, Rhia?" When he finished, he was a dot in the sky flying toward the sun.


End file.
